Three late tries are costly for Ashington

Ashington threw away a game they dominated for long periods as they conceded three late tries to lose 41-31 at home to Sunderland.

The home side made a great start, shunting the Sunderland pack off their own scrum, with the ball spun wide and Weeks and Turner combined to put in the supporting Jarvis for a cracking try, well converted by Turner.

Sunderland bounced back with a try wide out before Weeks crashed through two tackles to go under the posts to give Ashington a 12-5 lead.

At this stage the home side were playing enterprising rugby and Sunderland were hanging on.

A rampant Whitworth, who had an excellent game, went on a storming 30-metre run, beating several defenders, before Harrigan and Rosser combined for the latter to side-step his way over for a try converted by Turner to make it 19-5.

Skipper Newman was the next player to cross for a try, scoring Ashington’s fourth, and ensuring a bonus point with a great hand off after another strong run from Whitworth was well supported by Johnson, Weeks and Harrigan. The Turner conversion gave Ashington a seemingly unassailable 26-5 lead after 30 minutes.

A late Sunderland rally saw the visitors cross for a second try to give a 26-10 half-time score.

Ashington started the second half strongly but poor defence let the visitors in for their third try, and then with the home side pressing for another try, after strong runs from Beattie, who carried well throughout the game, Whitworth and Weeks, Sunderland got their fourth try with an interception in front of their own posts to leave Ashington with a slender 26-22 lead.

From the restart a great catch and drive by Weeks carried on by the supporting Beattie set up a five-metre ruck, scrum-half Johnnie Arkle took full advantage darting over for a try to give Ashington a deserved 31-22 lead with 15 minutes left.

They continued to press, with strong runs from Moffatt, Jarvis and Weeks setting up another attacking position deep in the Sunderland 22, only for the visitors to score another length of the field try from a second interception.

Ashington then conceded two late tries to lose a game they had totally dominated for 70 minutes.